New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Visinfwhiimp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Visinfwhiimp’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; and numerous white-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Visinfwhiimp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Visinfwhiimp’.

The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new vigorous and freely branchingImpatiens plants with numerous large flowers and attractive foliage andflower coloration.

The new Impatiens plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in November, 2004, of a proprietary selection of Impatienshawkeri identified as code number 03-303, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of the Impatiens hawkeriidentified as code number 01-217, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Impatiens plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alajuela,Costa Rica in April, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal cuttingspropagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alajuela, CostaRica since June, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Visinfwhiimp’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Visinfwhiimp’ as a new and distinct cultivarof New Guinea Impatiens:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Numerous white-colored flowers that are positioned above and        beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have more rounded flowers than        plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of New GuineaImpatiens ‘Visinfwhi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,149. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of thenew Impatiens differed primarily from plants of ‘Visinfwhi’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were slightly larger than plants        of ‘Visinfwhi’.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Visinfwhi’.    -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘Visinfwhi’.    -   4. Plants of the new Impatiens had fewer and smaller flowers        than plants of ‘Visinfwhi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Impatiens plant. The photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Visinfwhiimp’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Visinfwhiimp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif. during the latesummer and early autumn in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and underconditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 38° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 16° C. to 24° C. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plantswere grown in one-gallon containers and had been growing for 39 weekswhen the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri ‘Visinfwhiimp’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 03-303, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 01-217, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 20° C. to            22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 19° C. to            21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 18 days            at 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 21 days            at 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, thick; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and            mounded plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching            habit; about seven to eight lateral branches developing at            the base; dense and bushy growth habit; pinching, that is,            removal of the terminal apices, is typically not required,            but will enhance branching.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 53 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 26 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Internode length: About 2.6 cm to 3 cm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls, simple.        -   Length.—About 9.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A; mid-vein,            close to 147C; lateral venation, close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 147B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary flowers;            freely flowering habit; usually about eight to ten flowers            and flower buds per lateral branch; flowers positioned above            the foliage and typically face upright to outwardly.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week under            greenhouse conditions; petals self-cleaning, gynoecium            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions; in the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in California; plants begin flowering about six to eight            weeks after planting.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5 cm by 5.2 cm. Depth: About 3            cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.            Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: Close to NN155D.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single            whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.5 cm. Length, lateral            petals: About 2.4 cm. Length, lower petals: About 3 cm.            Width, banner petal: About 4.6 cm. Width, lateral petals:            About 3.2 cm. Width, lower petals: About 3.2 cm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate to cordate. Base: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to NN155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to NN155D; color does not fade with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an            elongated spur. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper surface: Close to 192D tinted with close to            192B. Color, lower surface: Close to 192D tinted with close            to 193A. Spur length: About 4.8 cm. Spur diameter: At            flower, about 3 mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Spur color: Close to 145C to 145D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 3 mm by 4 mm.            Anther color: Close to 157C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma            color: Close to 145D. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary            color: Close to 146D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea    Impatiens.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Visinfwhiimp’ asillustrated and described.